Safety device for fluid-fuel outlets



W. DUDLEY.

SAFETY DEVIBE FUR FLUID FUEL OUTLETS.

APPucAaeH mi ma. 22, 191s'.

@,Sesgm mma Feb. 15,19%

i m f] u f UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J. DUDLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR OF ONE -HALF T0 HENRY S. BLAGKIVIORE, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application led March 22, 1918. Serial No. 223,953.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, lALTnR J. DUDLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Fluid-Fuel Outlets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety device for a fuel outlet, irrespective of whether the fuel is used for power or illuminating purposes, but has special reference to a device that may be advantageously used for automatically controlling the outlet of gas or a fluid for illuminating purposes.

In the useof natural or artificial gas for illuminating purposes, as well as commercial purposes, there is always a danger of the gas being accidentally extinguished by a draft, wind, increments of water in the gas conduit, or other means ordinarily beyond the control of mankind, consequently there is danger of asphyxiation, explosion and other accidents, which this invention aims to obviate by an automatic control of the fuel used for illuminating or other purposes.

The safety device includes a member located in proximity to a fuel outlet and containing air or a liquid, susceptible to expansion, by the application of heat, for opening and also closing a valvular member, which regulates or controls he supply of fuel to the outlet.

The safety device also includes a manually actuated and normally closed valvular member in communication'with the source of fuel, which after manual actuation, per-` mits of a pilot light being established to affect an expansive element capable ofopraing a valve controlling the outlet of the The invention also includes simple, durable and easily assembled elements by which the above and other results may be obtained, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein,

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the safety device in connection with a gas jet, showing the device normally closed shutting off the supply of gas to the jet;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the diaphragm actuated valve in an open position admitting gas to the jet;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the safety device, partly broken away and partly in section, illustrating a manually tctlllliated valve adapted to produce a pilot Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the complete safety device, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are modifications, showing double action of diaphragm.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical casing having the bottom thereof provided with a small port 2, and a depending interiorly screw threaded connection 3 which permits of the casing being screwed on a fuel supply pipe, for instance, a gas pipe 4. The upper end of the casing l is provided with a fixed closure plate 5 having a central opening or port 6 and an upstanding exteriorly screw threaded connection 7 for a stepped or gradually reduced jet tube 8. In the upper end of this n get tube is mounted a ported jet or nipple 9 adapted toreceive gas or other fuel from the pipe 4 provided there is an unobstructed passage through the casing l and the jet tube 8. v

Fixed in the closure plate 5 of the casing l is a coupling member 22 and this member is tubular so as to communicate with a diaphragm casing 23 having a flexible member diaphragm 24 suitably mounted therein and connected to the member 22, said connection being near the circumference of said diaphragm, so that a change of curvature caused by liexure of the diaphragm causes the casing to pivot on the coupling member instead of advancing and receding as would be the case were the coupling member connected to the center of the diaphragm. The diaphragm casing 23 is cylindrical and has a plate 24"l fixed in the end of the casing after the diaphragm has been assembled therein. The diaphragm casing 23 is adapted to engage a valve member 25 in the form of a plate loosely supported between the casing 23 and the closure plate 5, the engagement being at the edge of thecasing diametrically opposite the junction of coupling and diaphragm. The valve member 25 is bifurcated or forked as at 26 to embrace the coupling member 22 and be guided thereby and asa further guide for said valve mem-y shutoff. Adjacent to'theslot 2S of the valve member is a depending hook BO'i'iormallyfin engagement with the lower edge oi the dia phragm easing 23,'so that When said casing is lowered or tilted by the' tl'eXing'o the dia I phragm 2A;` that the valve member 25-is shifted thereby. Y The hook is merely tom-' y sure the dropping of the valve, gravity will usually .make it drop. 4

Communicating with the upper endet'k the coupling member 22 is a vertieallly disposed tube or hollow member 31 communicating With a horizontally disposed tubular annulus or ring 32 vsurroundingand in proximity to the nipple 9 and adaptedv tobe v gas Atothe burner.

heated, by the flame issuing therefrom. `This ring, the coupling member and the diaphragm casing may contain a. iiuid as air or liquid. susceptible to expansion, so-that -ivlien said ring is subjected to the aetioii'oi a: flame or other source of heat its huid contents will expand,V creating' a pressureVv iu'y the dia- 'l phragm casing and 'flexing "the diaphragm which will assume the positiongshoufnin Fig. c,alloiving ifalve plateA 25 to fallend" establishing communication between the: gas

supply piped and nipple 9 and admitting The preheating of ring 32-inay be'` made by .the `iame .oit an ordinary match, lin Which case-'thegasissuingfrom t-lienipple will' be ignited bythe llamel of the match and Will continueto burn, the heatingio'l ring 32 by the-'llame maintaininglthe ei;- pansien. of the iluid therein and "consequently the vdiaphra'gmV remainsV lflexed and' i I erto done, a very Vsligl'it change of curvaturelle :in the diaphragm produces a largeexcursion 'of the free end Vofthe casing, .allowing'a valve open'.

by a draft' or other unforeseen agent; *which under ordinary circumstances would" eventi'i'- ally permittlie gas to escape ui'iignited'y andundoubtedly result infan accidentwr the. cool-1. andv subsequent contraction er the fluidI` will lresult in a reifersal'efthepreviously described'opeiatioii'causing closure of' I the'\f"al\`fe"25undfcuttiir4 eti-'the supply olif;

thefcircumference of the diaphragm radiallyV 120 `opposite the coupling tube.V It is not neces-V While the burner Operatespeifectlyjrel'l using a match asldescribed v more convenient to start" the aid oi a pilot ilameand` auxiliar #valve ter the same and ia novel and conrenient form thereof has been deif'isedfr l The closure plate 5,"at oi'iefside"orthef connection T has anopei'iing 1Oand1iXedY therein tubularvalve body- 11'prejeet-f j ing into the casing" 1f aiidvabove `the closure/ 1v 'ift the flame accidentallyextin'guished;l

plate 5. In the valve body 11 is reciprocab-le valve member 12 providedwith a stem 13 extending into the'casing 1tr The stem` V13 has a longitudinal groove 14 which may establish communication between the valve 70 body 11 and said casi-ng yand on the lower Y lend et said stem is a valve head 15and the gasket Y16, so that the communication between the valve body and the casing may be shut oil'when the valvular member 12 is 75 cation betweenl the casing 1 and theatmos- 80 Y phere when the valvular member is depressed. il Y Y 'On the upper end of the valvular member -12 is a horizontally disposed head 19 havso as to be guided bythe jetftube 8. YThe outer end of the VVhead 1 9 has a vdepending rod or member 21 which permits or the valvular member 12 being manually lowered against the action of the' spring 17 so that 90 'action' of the burner Whichis less th'authe pressure Vin vtheV mains, consequently as soon as the gas `llame is ignited the pilot llame 10e immediately drops down enough to avoid any overheating of the ring32-this-is important. Y f Y Making the connection'to ene'side of the diaphragmis an important VfeatuiieV because 105 by using tl'iechan'ge of curvature Vasthe means of utilizing the pressure of the iiuid insteadof'nierely the advance Vor recession of the central part of the diaphragm ashitlismaller"v diap'liragmV and -otthick'V material,

Figs. @and 'i' `sl'ioivhcnv the motion may be doubled Yby having a valve Vleverriixed Vnear sary tofhave the easing movableV in case thelatterfplan is used, if double actionY is' not desired.V Y

Electric eoiitactsmay be `madeinsteadof'l25 valve (operators 'for 'lire alarms, Y er rindiT eating Vhands for pressure gagesor manomeA ters maybeoperated. ,i a

Ythat theV operation and It is thought utility of theinventionWill1be'-fapparent 139 ing one end thereof bifurcated or `i'erlred S5V Without further description, and it should be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

l-laving noW described my invention what l claim is:

l. The combination with a burner of a tube disposed in proximity to the tip of said burner, a valve for controlling fuel supplied to said burner, a generally flat motive chamber having a normally idexed Wall communicating out of a common center thereof with said tube, and adapted to actuate said valve.

9,. The combination with a burner of a tube disposed in proximity to the tip of said burner, a valve for controlling fuel supplied to said burner, a generally flat motive chamber, having a flexible Wall and an opposite relatively more rigid Wall, suspended from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member, and adapted to actuate said valve through a membere spaced apart from the supporting member communicating with the chamber Wall and the valve, said motive chamber communicating With said tube.

3. The combination with a burner of a tube disposed in proximity to the tip of said burner, a valve for controlling fuel supplied to said burner. a generally flat motive chainber, having a normally flexed Wall, suspended from the flexed Wall out of a common center by a holding member and containing a thermally expansible and contractible fluid, and communicating at the end thereof with said tube and adapted to actuate said valve.

d. The combination with a burner of a valve, a motive element comprising a chamber having a generally flat form and provided with a flexibile Wall and with an opposite relatively rigid Wall, suspended from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member, a thermally expansible and eontractible fluid in said chamber, means for conducting heat thereto whereby the pressure in said chamber may be altered, and means communicating with the chamber Wall adapted to actuate said valve.

5. The combination with a burner of a valve for closing the gas-passage thereof and a chamber' having a generally fiat form provided With a flexible Wall and a relatively rigid Wall, suspended from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member containing a thermally expansible and contractible fluid for indirectly actuating said valve and arranged to act When the burner is operating and thereby indirectly maintain the valve in an open position until the burner cools.

6. The combination with a burner of a valve, a fluid containing chamber having a generally flat form and provided with a flexible Wall and With an opposite relatively rigid Wall, suspende from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member, means for conducting heat thereto whereby the pressure in said chamber may be altered, a heat conductor located Within thermal conducting proximity to the burner tip and leading to said chamber, and means actuated by the movement of the fluid containing member for controlling said valve.

7. A motive element for valves and other purposes, comprising a chamber having a generally dat form and provided with a flexible wall and with a relatively opposite straight Wall suspended from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member.

S, A motive element for valves and other purposes, comprising a chamber, having a generally flat form and provided with a normally flexed wall and with an opposite relatively rigid ivall, suspended from the flexible Wall out of a common center by a holding member and containing a thermally expansible and contractible fluid.

9. A motive element for valves "land other purposes comprising a chamber having a generally flat form and provided with an inwardly flexible curved Wall and with an opposite relatively straight Wall, supported from the inwardly exible curved Wall out of a common center, and containing a thermally expansible and contractible fluid.

l0. .el motive element for valves and other purposes, comprising a chamber having a generally flat form and provided with a flexible Wall and with an opposite relatively rigid wall, supported from the exible Wall out of a common center, and containing a thermally expansible and contractible fluid.

ll. ln a safety device for controlling the outlet of a fluid, the combination of a normally closed thermally openable feed member having a valve actuating member of generally flat form provided with a flexible Wall and with an opposite relatively more rigid wall, supported at the exible Wall out of a common center, `with a normally closed manually actuated valvular member adapted to control an initial heating means to primarily effect the actuation and opening of the fuel feed member.

12. rlhe combination With a burner having a valve actuating member of generally flat form provided with a flexible Wall and with an opposite relatively more rigid Wall, supported out of a common center, of normally closed manually actuated pilot igniter.

ln testimony whereof, l affix my signature in the presence of tvvo Witnesses. 

